


A Nameday To Remember

by Chocoboy_James



Category: FFXIV, Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Birthday, Chocobos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27904087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocoboy_James/pseuds/Chocoboy_James
Summary: The beginning of the story of my OC, James Fidelis.Today marks his third nameday, and his parents have gotten a surprise in store for him that will forever change his life.
Kudos: 2





	A Nameday To Remember

James, a young blonde Hyur boy, was walking hand in hand with his father through the vast forest of the Black Shroud. The sun shone brightly, and the little man was smiling widely as he was keeping up with the big steps his father was taking. With the man being a Highlander, his steps have always been very far apart. After becoming exhausted, James gave up, and tried to pace himself back to his Midlander mother, grasping at her hands in delight, as she cheerfully grabbed one of his hands. His hazel eyes sparkled with joy as he took in the green scenery that was around him. Today marked his third nameday, and his mother had woken him up all cheerful, making sure the surprise he will be given will be one to remember. 

Malicia smiled down upon her son, swinging her arm back and forth. Little James picked up on it, and his high pitched laughter filled the air as he swung along faster. Nathaniel looked back over his shoulder as he heard his son’s laughter and smiled a mere moment, seeing the boy so happy. He witnessed just in time, how James began to hang his weight on his mother’s arms. 

“James! No!” Malicia panicked a mere moment as the boy accidentally pulled himself from her grasp and fell on his face in the muddy ground. James felt how his whole face got soaked with mud and as he pushed himself up he saw his father leaning over him, shaking his head.  
“James, you’ve dirtied your clothes!” helping to wipe away some of the mud, James began to feel a bit miserable. “Your mother has made these specially for your birthday! Be more careful.” 

His mother sighed slightly at the behaviour of the man, and tried to brush away the mud from James’ blonde ruffled hair.  
“Nathaniel, it is fine.” she chuckled, and ran her fingers through his hair after having cleaned the mud out of it. His father, however, was not as amused. He grumbled a few more times as he tried his best to clean the attire of his son. 

“Nath, calm down, he was just playing.” Malicia shook her head and pulled the boy back up, who began to sulk.  
“I am sorry, papa…” James mumbled carefully. The tiny hand rubbed over one muddy spot and tears formed in his eyes.  
The man sighed once more and stood back up, looking over to his wife.  
“We should get going.” 

Malicia gave a quick comforting hug to James before standing up herself. When the Highlander was out of hearing distance, she smiled down to James as she held out her hand.  
“Don’t you worry about it, my dear. Your father is just a grumpy old man.” she winked with a tease and James found his smile back and again grasped at her hands. 

As if nothing had happened the family walked over towards the destination that was planned. James' eyes suddenly saw yellow specks moving in the distance. In an instant he stood still. The young toddler pinched his eyes and focused himself on the bright colours and could make out they were animals.  
“Mother! Look!” 

In excitement he pointed towards the entities and even jumped up and down. Malicia chuckled by his enthusiasm and looked over towards the Chocobos in the distance as well. The surprise so far was well received.  
“Want to go closer?”  
After receiving a very enthused nod, the three continued moving towards the chocobo stables. 

“Look!” James shrieked once more as they came closer and closer and eventually the young boy ripped himself from his mother’s grasp and ran towards the chocobos.  
“James!” Malicia held out her hand, but Nathaniel was already one step ahead of her. Sprinting towards his son, he held the young man back and lifted him from the ground. 

“Not so fast, young man!” he mentioned angrily. “Don’t rush ahead!”  
“But papa! Look!”  
“Yes, I can see them, but you must never underestimate-”  
Malicia looked over to her husband, disappointed. Hearing his speech on how you must always be prepared for danger. Her wish was to raise James with peaceful intent. Gridania was a place where this was possible. As much as the Highlander had been mentioning he should become a fighter, to her it was something she would never want for her son. 

Somewhere she understood where his intent came from. He came from Ala Mhigo after all. A place that had been taken over by the Empire not too long ago. Before this dreadful occasion, they met, but ever since that day, the man had changed. A fire burned in his eyes that she never had seen before. 

“Nathaniel that’s enough. It’s his nameday, let’s make it enjoyable for him.” She eventually said and reluctantly the man put his son back on the ground. “We’ve spoken about this, no words about violence or dangers on this day of joy!” 

As Malicia was giving a whole lecture to her husband, James looked up to the two and pondered about. Whilst they were busy, he could slip away and spend some time with the fluffy looking creatures!

Without them noticing, he walked further on towards the animals. James saw how a few of the birds had already taken notice of him, and the black beady eyes were following his every move. Carefully, he approached the wooden fence. 

“Hello.” James got out in a shy breath, as the yellow birds came closer one by one. Some chirped in confused, and some stayed back. “Who are you?”  
Reaching out his hand towards one chocobo, the bird got scared a moment and backed off a bit. “Oh…” 

Disappointed, the young toddler lowered his hand and pressed his forehead against the fence so he could see through the holes more easily. Now pouting, he witnessed how the birds had gone back to grazing. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw his parents were still too occupied with each other. Making a soft grin, he began to try and squirm himself through one of the bigger holes of the wooden fence. 

“Hnnnngg!” the young boy groaned out as he squirmed himself towards the other end of the field. Once more the chocobos were staring at him, and the same chocobo that tried approaching him before, did it once more.  
Gently she began to lower her head towards the struggling boy who froze as she did so.  
“Hello!” James repeated, this time more enthusiastically. The chocobo chirped loudly back, making the young boy giggle. 

Suddenly the chocobo snapped a piece of his clothes between her beak and began to tug at it, to free him.  
“Hahaha!” James shrieked out in joy, as he realised he was being helped out of his uncomfortable situation. Not long after, another chocobo joined, and tugged at another side of his clothes. 

Together the two chocobos freed the young toddler, who now once more plunged face first in the muddy floor. As he got up, he heard many chocobos make happy chirps and one by one they came closer to inspect their visitor. The female chocobo once more lowered her head. Her eyes met with the hazel eyes of James, and for a moment James could feel the gentleness of the chocobo. 

Carefully he once more raised his hand to her and soon his fingers were rushing through the soft feathers on her head.  
“Kweh!” he even mimicked the chocobos in their chirps. Receiving another enthusiastic kweh back from her, James laughed and began to join the choir of chirps. 

“James!” The voice of his mother was heard over the chirpy choir and suddenly the birds withdrew themselves from the boy as his mother rushed over the fence and jumped in to protect her son.  
“Kweh!” James waved his little arms up and down.  
Malicia looked down in amazement as she let go of the firm hug she had given in protection. 

“Licia is he well?” Nathaniel stomped towards the fence as well and looked down towards the duo who were now surrounded by chocobos.  
“Kweh kweh!” James got out, as he reached out his arms and tried to pet every chocobo that he could. “Kweh!”

Not even protesting, his parents looked at how James was handling the situation. The young boy didn’t seem scared or bothered. It was as if he was a natural with the creatures.  
“Oh, hello there!” Finally someone of the stables had taken notice of the young boy covered in mud and his parents, and passed the fence as well. “Is there ought I can help you with?” 

Malicia smiled down upon the young teen and shook her head.  
“We’ve just wanted to show our dear boy these lovely chocobos for his birthday.” she said in joy. “He has been asking about them ever since one of you passed our home with one.” 

“Ah, I see!” the stable hand chuckled and scratched his neck, seeing how none of the chocobos seemed to take notice of him, not even with the bucket of fresh fodder with him. “Well, maybe your son wants to help feed them?” 

The caretaker's eyes glanced over to how the toddler was making funny faces to the chocobos right now, and couldn’t help but laugh.  
“I think he would love that.” Nathaniel smiled down and nodded towards the young caretaker. 

“Uhm, but where are my manners.” the caretaker chuckled. “The name’s Dereck.”  
James’ parents introduced themselves back, but when Malicia asked James to introduce himself as well, all that was heard were playful chirps coming from the young boy.  
Eventually Malicia gave in and introduced him instead. 

“Ah! Well James, if I may.” Dereck started and finally seemed to have the attention of the toddler. “Hold out your hands carefully, like this.” Holding his hands open like a bowl, he waited till James did the same. Malicia helped for a mere moment, and with enthusiasm, James followed suit. 

Dereck poured a bit of the fodder into James’ hands.  
“Now, carefully throw it around the grass so they can pick it up.”  
A few chocobos became restless and began to push, but Dereck stood up and held them back till the little boy could throw the fodder around.  
“Kweh kweh!” he chuckled as he began to throw the food around carefully. 

The chocobos however didn’t wait around anymore and even pushed Dereck aside. James looked over in fear as the chocobos came rushing towards him, to look for the fodder he threw down around him just now. Nathaniel and Malicia looked over in shock, thinking he would get trampled over. 

James widened his eyes, the birds came ever so close, in panic, he made himself smaller. But he was greeted with a soft chirp next to his ear. It seems some of the chocobos completely ignored the food and wanted to keep playing with James. Big hazel eyes looked back up, and James immediately knew this was the female chocobo that broke the ice between them.  
“Kweh!” James got out in enthusiasm and hugged her head as much as he could. 

“Goodness, I did not expect that to happen.” Nathaniel got out in a breath, as he was balancing on the fence, ready to have jumped to his son’s aid.  
“He’s a natural at this.” Dereck laughed and continued to throw the rest of the food around, should the chocobos turn their attention to it once the little boy was done with them. 

His parents made him play with them a little while longer, and in the meantime Dereck had announced he would come back with something his parents could give the young toddler.  
When the caretaker returned, he gave a wrapped package towards Nathaniel.  
“It’s a chocobo plush,” the teen smiled towards the Highlander.  
“Many thanks, lad.” the man made a nod in approval and Malicia walked up towards her son. 

“James, my dear, it is time to return home.” She lowered herself next to the boy and carefully got him up. The few chocobos that had remained now made a few sad chirps, knowing that their goodbye was inevitable.  
“Can I go back again soon?” James asked in a sad tone, and gave one last pet to his new female friend. 

“You will have to ask Dereck.” his mother smiled and hugged him close as she walked back to her husband and Dereck. “Don’t be shy now.” 

Asking the same question, more shyly, towards the stablehand, the teen chuckled and nodded in enthusiasm. Even explaining that he’s welcome to learn the ins and outs of taking care of chocobos, and when he’s older, even taking lessons to ride one. 

“I am going to become a chocobo caretaker!” James cheered holding his fists up high, the others laughed and a few chocobos made loud chirps to join in on the enthusiastic cheering. 

The family now gave their goodbyes and walked over towards the path that led back to their home. James was looking over his mother’s shoulder, not taking his eyes off the chocobos, waving uncontrollably, until after one final kweh of the chocobo, they disappeared behind the trees. 

A loving sigh came from him and squirmed himself more comfortable in his mother’s arms.  
“had a fun day?” she asked, a smile resting on her face. The toddler nodded and felt his eyes closing, suddenly he felt so tired. The rocking of his mother’s walking didn’t help either.  
“Take a rest, my dear.” he could hear faintly. “You must be so tired.” 

\------------------------

The young boy woke up from the smell of food entering his nose. Opening his eyes, James got back up from his resting place and his father took notice he was awake.  
“Ah, there’s my little rascal.” The man smirked, and came to pick him up to sit with him at the kitchen table. “Slept well?” 

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, James nodden and now saw the wrapped package on the table, next to the book his father was reading before.  
“Ah yes.” Nathaniel followed his son’s eyes and pushed the gift closer. “This is for you.”  
Confused James looked towards it, and then to his father, who made a nudge with his head, indicating he could open it. 

Carefully James tugged at the paper and by the time he revealed the box, his mother had entered the kitchen.  
“Now look who has woken up!” she smiled widely and stirred into the cooking pot, before taking a seat at the table as well. “Unwrapping your gift it seems.” 

James nodded and tried to open the box, but his arms weren’t strong enough for it. Getting slightly frustrated, he tried to rip it open, but even then, it didn’t let up. His father chuckled and found the opening of the box easily and helped his son open it up. 

A loud gasp filled the air as James laid eyes on the object that was inside it.  
“Chocobo!” he shrieked out and immediately hugged the plush close.  
“Now that is a gift to remember.” his mother patted James on the head.  
“If anything I think this whole day is going to be remembered by him forever.” Nathaniel smirked. 

The little boy was oblivious to their words, however. The only thing he had his attention to was holding the plush close to his heart, imagining the gentleness he had received from the female chocobo. The first thing he was going to do when he went back was ask the name of that lovely bird, so he could name the plushy after her as well.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first chapter of many to come in the story about my dearest chocobo loving Hyur, James Fidelis. 
> 
> I have finally taken up the ... pen? to make a chronological story on his journeys through Eorzea.  
> Hereby I hope to see you all back at the next chapter, and I shall see when I have the time and inspiration to write this. 
> 
> Many many thanks for reading this first chapter already of course!  
> Do leave kudos and a comment <3


End file.
